Disney On Ice 2011:Best Friends Outing

Glad there's something girly for Ms.LZ this weekend! hehehe.. thanks to Disney on Ice show!
Usually, if there's no play dates, our weekends are either occupied with family affairs (events/malls/do nothing!) or cheering for Daddy J's rugby tourneys (hmm in fact, it started before we were married, i'm not complaining tho coz i normally enjoy the games and most of the times enjoy watching him being stitched alive!..).
But not this Sunday! (Well, we're still gonna watch his game on Saturday, if he's playing)

 

As most of us know (from on & on adverts in Astro), Disney on Ice will be in KL again this year, showing on 1st to 3rd April 2011.
This year, we're going to the show with Ms.LZ's besties; Natasha & Iman (plus her Shukran ko-ko & lil sis Ain). Moms & kids outing!
So, have you got your tickets? Buy it from TicketPro while the early birds price are still available! Enjoy your shows kids!!

Thrill to high-speed stunts as Lightning McQueen, Matar and the crew of Disney / Pixar's CARS race across the ice.

Dive into The Little Mermaid's enchanting undersea kingdom and Experience the 'Circle of Life' with The Lion King.

Then enter into the magical world of Pixie Hollow with Tinker Bell and all her fairy friends as they make their world premiere on ice!

From wheels to waves, Pride Lands to pixie dust, your family's favourite Disney moments come to life at Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy with dazzling skating, special effects and beloved characters certain to create a lifetime of memories.

~ www.ticketpro.com.my~

Owh.. and here are some pics of Ms.LZ's visit to the National Science Center during her recent school holidays.. We went to the Dinosaur show (rating: 4/10!).. nothing much to say about it coz both Natasha & her were more thrilled on other activities..

Who was your first Best Friend?

"A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."

- Anon

You know your kids have grown up when they start talking about who their best friend is. They may have one or more friends that they labelled as best friends. How long will their friendship last? Nobody can tell.. the best we could do is to show them the value of having such friends and how to not lose such friends..

As for Ms.LZ, her best friends are Natasha and Iman.. They've been clingy since they were 4y.o! They even call themselves "The Musketeers" from one of the Barbie movies. Lately, Ms.LZ's favourite statement is, "...... that's what best friends are for, right mommy?" ... owwhhh she's soo adorable! I don't think I've ever said that when I was 5! :-))

Iman - Lana - Natasha

You're...
My Friend,
my companion,
through good times and bad
my friend, my buddy,
through happy and sad,
beside me you stand,
beside me you walk,
you're there to listen,
you're there to talk,
with happiness, with smiles,
with pain and tears,
I know you'll be there,
throughout the years

Hope they will be friends forever, that's my Doa to you Musketeers!

My Pregnancy Complaint: DARK Armpits. How to overcome?

In every pregnancy or after giving birth, the skin in my armpits and other body parts such as the neck, abdomen, and nipples will be darker (as in really really dark!) than the usual. According to study, this is normal because the activity of hormones in our body while pregnant enables the release of too much melanin (brown pigment that determines skin color) so the skin in several parts of the body is experiencing hyperpigmentation or darkening. Hyperpigmentation can not be avoided, but generally will disappear within a few months after giving birth.
Based on research, another factor that cause dark underarm are shaving and plucking. Underarm skin is very thin and sensitive. Every time we shave or pluck the armpit, we cause micro abrasions. It will make the skin darker after recovery.

how to get rid off these... (ths lady is not me..she's  Ms.Google)

... and get this clear under arms? (another photo of Ms.Google)

Some deodorants can also cause allergies and irritation of the skin, leaving dark underarms. There are also other causes, such as mold and asthma skin. Obesity also can worsen the pigmentation and darkens some areas of the body, including neck, armpits, and behind the knees.

** even PH party with dark armpits kikiki.. ** (photo: Googled..i'm not Perez H.)

Ok. How do I get rid off those dark colours earlier? I don't wanna wait until months after giving birth. What if it's not happening after this 3rd pregnancy? (hahaha! p.a.r.a.n.o.i.d). I heard that bleaching will also work in the short term, but is not a good solution overall because in the long term it will make darkening worse by irritating the skin in that area. 

So, i made some research and try out a few tips/ petua.. haven't seen the results so far as i just started yesterday hehehe... 

** These are the traditional petua/tips that i'm currently using in my mission of lightening them armpits! 

Ingredients: 1) Lemons, 2) Honey, 3) Baking Soda ~ I'm using Baking Soda as a substitute to Powdered Alum (You can buy powdered Alum from groceries sections or Sin Seh -Chinese Medical Store) Note: Don't confuse with Baking Powder, it has a  stickier texture).

there are many brands avail for cooking Alum: McCormick, Forbes

or boleh beli timbang kati:-))

Lemon & Honey

1) Lemon and Baking Soda 

• Cut a Lemon in half and Rub the halves over the armpits. 
• Take about half a teaspoon of Baking Soda and rub it on in a circular motion.
• Leave it on for 10 minutes and then wash off. Or leave it on for as long as you can if the texture doesn't bother you.

2) Lemon, honey and Baking Soda

• Mix some Lemon Juice and Honey equally in a little dish. 
• Apply it on the armpits and leave it on for 15-20 minutes. Wash it off with warm water. 
• Apply baking soda as before and leave it on for 10 minutes before washing.

Owh one more.. if you have plan to make your own effective natural deodorant, try this!

• Take about 1/8 of a teaspoon of baking soda in the palm of your hand, 
• Add enough water to make a smooth paste and apply it directly on to your armpits. Make sure you add enough water to dissolve the powder or it may irritate and inflame the region. 
• The final product feels a little slimy to touch and will more or less last all day. 
• It may leave white patches on your clothes or on the counter top, but that should get washed off easily enough.

Happy Trying, Peeps! Sudi2lah share your results wit me here..

RM 58 FOR GOLD FACIAL + WAXING + NECK & EYE TREATMENT FOR 2.5 HOURS AT SKIN AFFAIRS

RM58 instead of RM376 for Gold Facial + Waxing + Neck & Eye Treatment for 2.5 HOURS at Skin Affairs, Kota Damansara. 

GOLD ON SKIN!!!! GOLD ON YOUR SKIN!!! We're so excited. Check this out, 24 carat gold for facial, it delays wrinkles *wink*. To make the deal sweeter, Skin Affairs is offering waxing and neck & eye treatment too. 


Grab this fabulous deal while available: #ForeverYoung !! Gold facial by #SkinAffairs + waxing + eye & neck treatment for only RM58! #MilkADeal now!

** Advert & Photo by ChurpChurp **

RM30 FOR TWO CHILDREN'S YOGA CLASSES AT COCOON YOGA

Allow your kids to de-stress in a very different manner - Yoga! Help them to manage stress with Yoga from a young age at Cocoon Yoga. 

Let your kids bend it out! Grab this MAD deal today and also spread this news to your friends and be rewarded with every purchase!

Grab it here: Kids Yoga at #CocoonYoga for only RM30, 2 sessions. More details at #MilkADeal

** Photos & advert from ChurpChurp **

have u tried Breath Right?

We had! and those nasal strips are simply amazing!

I had flu recently, blocked nose... really uncomfortable. Since I'm pregnant now, I only took Hot Lemon & Honey juice to ease my running nose, but didn't work much on preventing blocked nose.
So, hubby brought home a pack of Breath Right- Nasal Strips one night. Wow! It worked. A drug free remedy, distributed by GSK Malaysia!
Alhamdulillah! And it worked on hubby too, he slept like a baby, not even a single a snore for the whole night!

How does it works? (source: http://www.breatheright.com/how_br_works/science.aspx)
Breathe Right nasal strips are applied to the outside of your nose, providing a simple solution that opens nasal passages so you can breathe better. Each drug-free, nonprescription Breathe Right nasal strip consists of flexible, "spring-like" bands. Placed correctly across the nose, the bands gently lift the sides of the nose to provide:

• Nasal congestion relief due to the common cold or allergies
• Better breathing for people with a deviated septum
• Snoring relief to sleep better

Breathe Right works as soon as you put it on and lasts as long as you keep it on - that's because the "spring-like" bands with a patented reflex action inside the strip work to lift your nasal passages, opening them to increase airflow and improve your breathing. It's a drug-free solution that can help your nighttime nasal congestion due to allergies, colds, and deviated septum. It even helps relieve snoring.

A pack of Breath Right for adults cost RM6.00 for 4 strips (7-Eleven price).

They have various colours to suit you and you even can choose those matching your skin type, ie: sensitive skin, normal skin.

For Kids, Breath Right Kids are sold at RM12 for 12 strips.

It's good that they have this for kids as kids (and parents) will normally have sleepless nights whenever they have flu & blocked nose. The nasal strips will help reduce our work of sucking out the mucus out of our kid's nose!

Happy trying, peeps!

Did my Stretch Mark Creams work?

I've used 4 different Stretch Mark creams since my first pregnancy. And I still have the empty tubes/bottles in my dresser's drawer, just in case.(in case of? haha don't ask, i just love to collect unnecessary stuffs, 'just in case'!).

Would like to share my personal reviews on the each of the product. Not that my skin is flawless, but I've tried & tested each of the creams for at least 2 weeks from the purchased/received date, before they sit comfortably on the rack, waiting to be dust off or at least to be worn once/twice a month (twice/month is an excellent track record!).

1) Avent - Indulgent Body Cream, 200ml (~RM35 in 2005, i'm not sure how much they are selling now)

Contains sea minerals, pleasant & refreshing to rub in. It's quite runny so it absorbs quickly on to my skin. However, it didn't feel very effective because of its light consistency. I did use it it all over but despite the big tube, the cream didn't seem to go far hehehe...
Rating: * * 




2) Clarins - Stretch Mark Control , 200ml (i got the first tube free from Malaysian Women's Weekly complimentary Post Natal package & treatment)

I like the silky texture of this, it's a lovely moisturizer. I think it may have altered the appearance of my teenage stretch marks, as the texture of skin has started to change after I finished the whole tube (cewahhh! hahaha perasan kot!).
Well, maybe the post natal treatments that i got from Clarins treatment centre contributes to the overall invisibility of the stretch marks too.. i don't know.
The cream absorbs well. However the price doesn't seem to allow me to use this frequently :-(( too bad..

Product details here: http://my.clarins.com/beauty-product/body/pregnancy/firming/stretch-mark-control/C020302004/
Rating: * * *

3) Palmer's - Cocoa Butter Formula Tummy Butter, 125g (a gift from my ex-colleague)

The smell, a bit distinctive. I like it, but it may not be everyone's taste. It has a firm consistency, because it's more of a butter than a cream. It has good coverage, but doesn't sink in straight away. However, I think the cocoa butter moisturized my skin very effectively, plus you can get it easily from most pharmacies.

Product Details here http://www.stretchmarkexperts.com.au/
Rating: * * * *




4) Bio Oil, 60ml (RM33 - 36, if i'm not mistaken, tak ingat!)

I use this all over my body, so does my daughter. It has a nice consistency, went on easily and moisture seem to last a long time. Pleasant smell, not a typical 'natural' smell. On the downside, it does seem a little too oily (duhhh it's an oil!), but apart from that, it's great! It also managed to scare off Ms.LZ's stubborn scars.
p/s: have u watched Bio Oil's advertisement on TV? the one with a lady wearing hijab in a car. it's kinda scary to me, serious semacam. hehehe!



Check out the product's details here http://www.bio-oil.com/uses.html.
Rating: * * * * *




So.. good luck finding the suitable cream of yours. Do share wit me your favorites too! I would love to try it out!

3rd Trimester already? Yaiksss...

Huhuhu.. really need to start & complete these stuffs. Since the last time we received a newborn baby girl was 5 years ago, there are not many (or none?) of the baby clothes still exist in our storage now. 

So, here goes the list of things to buy! Is it too much? Did I missed anything? Appreciate your opinions..

** hugzz**

A) CLOTHES

• Long sleeve rompers x 2
• Short sleeve rompers x 3
• Tops, long/short  x 4
• Pants, long/short x 3
• Sweater x 1
• Hats/Bonnets x 2
• Socks/booties n mitten set x 4
• Shawl/swaddle blanket x 2

B) SLEEPING

• Baby cot = Checked!
• Cot mattress x 1
• Waterproof mattress cover x 1
• Cot bumper x 1
• Fitted sheet x 2
• Light blanket = Checked

C) FEEDING (Breast Feed - Confirmed BPA FREE!)

• Breast Pump & Milk Storage
• Avent Newborn Set = Checked!
• Sterilizing tablets, bottle brushes = Checked
• Burp cloths = Checked!
• Bibs x 5 = 3 x Checked!

D) TRAVELLING

• Stroller = Checked!
• Car seat  = Checked!
• Baby carrier/Baby sling  = Checked!
• Baby diaper bag/travel bag x 1

E) BATH/CHANGING

• Hooded towels x 1
• Baby washcloth/small face towels x 3
• Bathtub  = Checked!
• Non-slip mat for tub = Checked!
• Waterproof changing mat  = Checked!
• Toiletries: baby wash,lotion,diaper cream,cotton buds,cotton pad,powder,baby wipes
• Medical kit: thermometer,nail clipper,nasal aspirator,medicine spoon/syringe
• Baby comb n brush set
• Disposable Diapers x 1 month supply only! (will opt for Cloth Diapers after confinement, wish me luck!!)
• Baby Wet Wipes x 1 month supply
• Barut  = Checked!
• Kain Bedung  = Checked!

F) ETC

• Baby books and toys (rattles,mobiles)  = Checked!
• Baby detergent  x 1
• Minyak Yue Yee Cap Limau & Vicks

G) MUMMY’S

• Nursing bras x 3
• Nipple cream
• Breast pads
• Bengkung  = Checked!
• Batu Tungku = Checked!
• Confinement Set
• Confinement Lady (14 days) = have shortlisted a few but will make another post on this..need lotsa info!
• Hospital Booking  = Checked!

Sroot...Sreet, Huff Huff!!

Flu Attack!

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Drug free remedy

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Vicks + Honey Lemon Juice

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No Talking

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No Taste

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No Smell

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Blocked Nose!

A Perfect Numero Uno Wordless Wednesday!

 ** pic: Google**

Thrifty Wednesday: Grab this! RM38.80 only for a full course Thai Meal

Only RM38.80 FOR:

STEAM RICE + MENG KOM + KERABU MANGO + VEGETABLES OF THE DAY + THAI STEAM FISH FILLET + GREEN CURRY CHICKEN + TOM YAM SEAFOOD + STUFFED CRAB + CHINESE TEA AT BRAVO CAFE

MAD Deal of the Day: RM38.80 (feeds 2 - 3 pax) instead of RM94 for Steam Rice + Meng Kom + Kerabu Mango + Vegetables of the day + Thai Steam Fish Fillet + Green Curry Chicken + Tom Yam Seafood + Stuffed Crab + Chinese Tea at Bravo Cafe, Jalan Chow Thye, Penang. Burn your tongue with these selection of Thai food at Bravo Cafe. Burn more tongues as this meal feeds 2-3 people! Savour the thai food and heighten your sweet and sour taste buds too. Go on, munch on, and bring your friends along too. Grab this MAD deal today! 

Burn your tongue at #BravoCafe !! All the yummy Thai food that feeds 2-3pax for only RM38.80! Grab from #MilkADeal

*** photo and advert by ChurpChurp***

of Cloud-9 Wafer and Corn-in-Cup..Owh Hormone!

I always buy Ms.LZ a corn-in-cup after her swimming class. It's her favorite, coz she would normally famished after 2 hours of water play, so this snack will at least fill a part of her lil tummy before we reach home.

But not today. I've packed some spaghetti from lunch, cooked too much i think it will last till breakfast tomorrow. (Mind you, according to my menu plan, it should be Chicken Pie.. well, i've changed today's menu since Ms.LZ felt like eating pasta (or me?) hahaha!)

Ok, serious.

So, Ms.LZ had agreed to have spaghetti and some Fruity Mentos, after her swimming class.
When her class ended, I let her play at the pool slides with some other kids while I chit-chatted with their moms. The moms were briefing me about their kids' school Sri Pintar, USJ - Smart Islamic School until around 7pm when all of us realized that it was late. After a quick shower, the two girls who played with Ms.LZ came to say goodbye while eating a pack of Cloud 9 wafer each.

Here goes the best part..

I saw Ms.LZ talking to them while looking at their Cloud 9 wafers and said, "Bye, see u soon! I'm gonna eat my spaghetti&mentos afterwards, right mommy?", but her eyes did not stop staring at the wafers, drooling!
I felt pity to my daughter and automatically i felt bad.. i didn't feel bad for packing her a home-cooked food or not buying her a corn-in-cup but, i suddenly felt a gush of sadness when i saw her gestures that translated: "i really want them chocolate. i'm famished. i feel like i've never tasted any chocolate wafers before".

and you know what? i cried.. right there, right in front of the kids! hahaha...

I suddenly hugged Ms.LZ and said, "it's ok, baby. u have your Mentos in the car, right? You can have as many as you want".

But, rezeki kanak-kanak.. Allah always granted a kid's wish.

And then came the moms of the girls. "Ms.LZ, come here have some chocolates. Would you like to have one? We have plenty.. blablabla"

I quickly turn away and wiped my tears.

Then i saw Ms.LZ looked at me as if saying,"Can i take it?".. and of course I said to her, " Take it baby.. and say thanks to aunty blablabla"..
On our way out of the complex, I heard the girls told their mom, "..blablabla Ms.LZ's mom cried blablabla"

hahahaha..

Ms.LZ still asked for a corn-in-cup when we passed by the stall. Of course i said no. A deal is a deal!

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In the car, i watched her ate the spaghetti, as if it was her best & the last spaghetti she could ever have. She ate 3/4 of the lunch box, then finished two packs of Cloud-9 wafers.

I don't know why, but I felt sad again.

And then... she said,"mummy, just now when we were walking to our car, i still can smell the corn-in-cup.. yummy! can u buy for me next week?"

Again.... I cried.

This girl really know how to drain all my tears of! I swore myself to buy that bloody frozen sweet corns and serve her everyday! well not in a white polystyrene cup but in any cups of her choice!

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After dinner, I rewind the incident to Daddy J. I saw him wiping (sort of) the edge of his eyes, I swear I did! But then, he said "Hahaha takde apa2lahh..hormon je tu"

cehhh potong stim!

*** Lana Zahra, if you read this one day, this proves how much i love you and how much i always want the best for you.. hugzz***

Uh oh! I feel like crying... again

IF ONLY TRAVELLING IS AN OCCUPATION.. DON'T WE ALL WISH THE SAME? Wanna Win your well-deserved holiday?

Don't you wish you have all the money in the world so you could travel around the world? 
Well, listen up, peeps! MAS Traveller is going to be the answer to your life long dream. 

All you gotta do is to:

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Craft a blog post

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Upload a video, and

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Promote it!!

With just simple steps from MAS Traveller and you could be on your way to South Africa or even awesome Korea!

Be quick. Put your creative hat on, and you could be the lucky ones to stand a chance to win TWO all-expense-paid trips and own a page on Yahoo! Travel. 

Have fun! Contest ends on April 1, 2011.

Join #MASTraveller today & stand a chance for a well-deserved holiday!

Menu Plan: Week 21 - 27 March

The first 3 months of my new 'career' was a disaster. I had bad morning sickness, it only fades on week 13 of my pregnancy. Imagine how bad my house was for that 3 months duration as i only 'live' in my cocoon (the master bedroom). There's a smell in the living room that makes me wanna puke, well i practically hate all kinds of smell, so i didn't use shower cream, i didn't dare to cross the hall & other rooms because of the air freshener smell.
Kitchen was the only place where I forced myself to enter to keep me alive.Truth is, I didn't cook at all.. Hubby will cook wheneveer  whenever he's around, and sometimes my brother who was on term break at that time did some simple cooking to feed us.
Life was still unorganized after the morning sickness subsides, in fact, i don't know where did my organizing skills went after i tendered my resignation. One day, i found my solution, not from a book, but from an Organizing Junkie, Laura. Oh my, how i wish i'm her! and now, i think i practically live by her 'book'..
So, taking one step at a time, i started using Laura's organizing tips. First organizing tool that i would love to share here is the Weekly Menu Plan.
I used to have weekly menu plan for dinner when i was working, but i hardly obey to it. Most of the time, i will depend on take out food. Cooking was a rocket science to me and i can only produce a meal after at least 1 1/2hr. But now, taking into account of the time that i have plus a hungry 5 & 35 y.o 'creature' at home, i force myself to obey on whatever plans & list that i have for the household. Alhamdulillah, i did it! It was not easy to start & to maintain, but it was worth an effort!

So, here goes this week's menu plan:

The good thing of having a weekly menu is u will only buy whatever needed  to be cooked for that week. Plus, you may skip and rearrange the menu should there be any last minute plan.

Every family will normally have one or two most busiest day of the week. Our Fright Night is on Tuesday where Ms.LZ has her swimming class at 5pm. We normally reach home at 7ish or 8pm. Therefore, I will usually choose the simplest & quickest meal to prepare and must be enough to cater for both lunch & dinner. The meal should only take not more than 40mins to prepare so that i can take an hour rest before heading back to school, fetching Ms.LZ.

So dear friends, should you have your own weekly/monthly meal plan, kindly share wit us by linking my blog from your post. We can share recipes and meal matching hence avoid cracking our heads of for future menus..

Love,

Community Library in a Mall

I was talking about books with my buddy, Yanie of The Red & White Book over breakfast sometime last week when she mentioned about a new Community Library in her area. I was curious (never been to such library so far) but was really impressed about the collection of books she described.
So, since I need to run some errands in Ampang that day, I decided to check out the library after picking up Ms.LZ from school.
The Community Library is located in Aeon Mall, AU2 near Setiawangsa, KL and owned by Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia.
Although it is housed in just a small space of about 500sq.ft, the library managed to target young readers of all ages especially kids as the setting for kids section is fairly spacious.
It has a collection of a good mixture of books for all age groups and reading preferences. Plus, the books are all brand new.

 Operating hours are as follows:

Tuesday - Saturday : 10am to 7pm

Sunday: 10am - 6pm

Closed on Mondays & Public Holidays

Lunch Break: 1 - 2pm

Each registered PNM member are allowed to borrow up to 3 books for 3 weeks. Late returns will be cahrged charged RM0.10/day. Howeever, if you have yet to register with PNM, all Malaysian Residents may just present their MyKad/MyKid for a quick registration with the officer in charge.
Both Ms.LZ and me grabbed 3 books.. just enough to occupy our time during this school holiday :-)

and these are mine, some light readings .. just finished 'The Undomestic Goddess' & keep on repeating 'Nursery Style' like every other day (urgghh! i wish this book is mine! should get one from Borders)..
just started 'Can You Keep a Secret' yesterday..